Conventionally, field emission arrays have been fabricated using thin film deposition techniques, also known as Spindt tips. Electrons emitted from the cathode (Spindt tip) are accelerated by the electric field between the cathode and the anode electrode. The cathode has an approximately conical shape, to which a predetermined electric field is applied so as to emit electrons. Moreover, when producing this Spindt type of electron emission device, a hole having a diameter of about 1 micrometer is formed and inside this hole, the emitter electrode is formed by way of deposition or the like.
However, in such a Spindt type of electron emission devices, it is difficult to form the aforementioned conical emitter electrode with a desired configuration, therefore resulting in a device that does not have stable electron emission characteristic. In particular, when producing an emission array, it is necessary to uniformly form the emitter electrodes over a large substrate. In other words, unless the emitter electrodes are formed uniformly, the field electron emission characteristic varies depending on a position within the array.